MI5 spy chief has warned on Wednesday that terrorists are now looking for new targets as there are now less crowded spaces due to the pandemic.
Director general Ken McCallum said MI5, which is formally known as the security service are “rapidly adapting” how they can operate to keep the UK safe throughout the pandemic.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday the spy chief said, “I stepped into this role at the height of the COVID lockdown, and for MI5 just like everyone else, 2020 has been dominated by the pandemic.
“We’ve sought where we can to help on COVID itself – advising on the safe construction of Nightingale hospitals; repurposing research originally done on toxic chemicals to help understand how COVID in droplets might disperse in certain environments; offering our skills in data analytics and modelling; simply allowing medically-qualified MI5 officers to step away from their duties here and directly support our NHS.
“And, crucially, on the vaccine, we’ve been working to protect the integrity of UK research. Our larger task has been rapidly adapting how we perform our core role of keeping the UK safe.”
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